Red Threads

A Sesal and an Unknown Guy

Mika collects Nagra's items related to Kai, and puts them in a box. After some hesitation, he finally decided to put the case back into law. Nagra's death case must soon find a bright spot. He had even requested a copy of the video of Kai and Nagra's altercation that Raga showed yesterday.

“Lo don't want to hear an explanation from Kai first?” Anggita is still trying to hold back Mika's decision. He is as hurt as Mika, but he is still not too sure if Kai is the culprit. What's more, that guy has absolutely no killer look. Even though, looks are not always guaranteed good and bad someone.

“Create what? It's obvious, right, that he did it. Yesterday, he couldn't defend himself." Mika had already rounded up the decision, and no one could shake the decision. His hands were still busy sorting through the contents of the box that he would make evidence.

“Gue instead of defending Kai. But, I think he has something that has not been linked to lo.”

Mika turned her attention to Anggita. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Lo doesn't have to defend him. Remember, Git. He killed my brother Nagra and my ex-girlfriend Lo.”

Anggita exhales deeply, while massaging his temple. In fact, this case is really confusing. No one can really be called a suspect. Everything's grey.

Mika was initially accused of murder. In fact, it is only a victim of the original perpetrator's hand washing. Later, Kai. I don't know, he's not so sure if that guy did it. Or, all this time the original perpetrator was just playing catch? The perpetrator deliberately dropped the charges on people around Nagra, so that others would not know the truth. So who is the real culprit?

Angita. He took Nagra's diary, and read its contents to divert his mind. His fingers opened randomly, sheet by sheet. Until finally, his movements stopped when he found a hand painting under which was attached to a small piece of photo. It is about 4 x 6.

Let's put our heads closer. Look at every little photo. The photo only shows three wrists, each of which is wrapped around a red bracelet. There is no further explanation

“Ka, have you seen this?” Anggita handed over Nagra's diary to Mika.

Mika frowned when she saw the photo. There were three people who had those red-styled bracelets. It's not just Nagra and Kai. That is, there is still one more person who is related to Nagra. Who owns the other bracelet?

Not yet had the question found an answer, the vibration of the phone in the pocket jolted Mika's consciousness. He immediately picked up the flat object, and found the name of his papa on the screen.

“Halo, Mika. Where are you?” ask Martin. There was a commotion that made the male voice not clearly heard.

"Mika again at Anggita's house. Why, Pa?”

"You're in the hospital now, yeah.” Silent moment. Mika could hear a screaming sound not far from her Papa's place. “Please,” Martin said, then, full of requests. Without waiting for a response, the man disconnected his phone.

Mika was silent for a moment. Look at the screen of his phone, with a frown. What was? Why does her father sound panicked.

“Lo why, Ka?” Anggita's question made Mika flinch.   

“Gue has to go to hospital now, Git.” Mika got out of her place, and ran away from Anggita's room.

“Wait. I interracial!” Anggita following Mika's steps. Then, ask the driver of his family to drive them to the hospital.

♥

Mika ran as hard as she could towards her Mama's nursery. Chest thumping. He knew something was wrong when he saw his father standing in front of the nursery with his face bent. The man paced back and forth with a huff.

“What's up, Pa?” ask Mika. His voice was dashed due to his breathless breathing.

Her father was about to open his voice when Mika heard a scream from inside her mother's room. Mika jerks. He wanted to go into the room, but his father blocked his wrist first. The man nodded slowly. The look in her eyes implied something Mika did not understand.

“Why? What was? Why is mom screaming?” Those questions filled Mika's head. He could not find an answer at all because his father chose silence.

Fifteen minutes later, the atmosphere turned calm. No more screaming for her mother. The three nurses who were inside moments ago, had already left the room.

“Mama, why?” Mika asked again softly. Seeing the tangled face of his Papa, made his head compose negative thoughts.

“You were like that since two nights ago. He's got you,” said Martin, who hit Mika's heart. Why did his mother look for him like that?

“Papa have tried to contact you. But your phone is not active. Papa confused should how.” Mika silences. There was pain in the corner of his heart that felt piercing. A regret involuntarily infiltrated his chest.

Two nights ago, he deliberately ignored his Papa's short message. He just didn't want to be disturbed that day. And after that, he let his phone run out of power for almost two days.

“Mika can enter?” mika asked, who was responded with a nod by Martin.

The creaking of the door sounded deafening, as Mika pushed the wooden door away. His gaze was blurry, as he watched his mother's body lie weakly on the bed. The woman was asleep, or rather made to sleep.

A rush of longing filled Mika's chest. Her mother's face looked tired and withered. The pair of eyelids were tightly closed. Hiding a beautiful eyeball that once provided shade for her.

“Mika is here, Ma,” whispered Mika. He tried hard to hold back the tears from dripping. However, failed. He sobbed, slowly.

If there is anything else that Mika regrets other than Nagra's death is a relationship with her mother. If only, he had realized first. If only, he could turn back the time that had passed. He wanted to be on his mother's side. He wanted to hug his mother, even though he had to be injured repeatedly. He wanted to accompany his mother at the most difficult time. For he knew that the wounds his mother bore were much heavier than his. Her mother was much better at pretending than she was.

“Yulia made you a birthday cake that day. He was depressed after you left. Yulia love you.”

Mika's isakan gets more powerful, when her Papa's speech is ringing in the ears. A sense of regret quietly slipped within the recesses of his heart. Makes his joints melt. And, instantly his body decays on the floor.

“Ma, sorry Mika. Sorry, Mika.” He was crying between his knees. His lower lip he bit down firmly so that no one would hear his sobbing. He was still drowning in guilt, when a raucous voice suddenly called out his name.

Mika raised her head, then rubbed her tears violently. It stands. He forced a smile on his mother who was looking at him. Her mother smiled thinly. The woman's hand moved slowly to reach Mika's hand.

“Iya. Mika here, Ma,” says Mika.

“Im sorry, Mama.” That was all her mother could say. Furthermore, only tears were shed on the woman's cheeks. No hysterical screams, like a while ago. The woman was just crying, with Mika in her arm summary.

Mika felt so warm. Something he almost forgot. Something she never got from her mother. For the first time—after a painful escape for months—ia again found home to go home. A family home that he did not own, for several months.

He did not want to lose this happy feeling, once again. He would not let anything take away this warmth again. He will not let anything destroy his family, once again. So with all his determination and heart strengthened, he decided one thing. He will settle Nagra's death immediately.

♥

Samuel smashed his knuckle against the wall, twitching. Anger still filled the top of his head. The anger has not subsided even though it has made Kai battered. I don't know what really made him angry. The assumption that Kai killed Nagra, or because he attacked the guy without finding out the truth first? He only overhears the assumption accidentally from Anggita and Raga's conversation, when the girl reveals Mika's condition after learning that Kai killed Nagra.

Kai was already inside the nursery. The guy is still unconscious. The injuries sustained, made the man's face a little difficult to recognize. The bluish color and the scratches lodged on several sides, making Abi and Satya who saw it as if they felt pain.

“Gue would like you to apologize to Kai, if he has realized!” Satya said coldly. Breaking the silence between them for the last few minutes.

Samuel did not answer. Only a rough sigh sounded and gasping from him.

Abi approached Samuel, and patted the boy on the shoulder. “Gue knows this is heavy for you. But you should know too. Not only are you disappointed and feel lost here. I also. I, lo, same Nagra it's been a long time ago. But still, you can't be a vigilante.”

Samuel did not give any answer. He just stuck his head against the wall. Then, sob softly. They ended up with a silence that felt awkward. Until suddenly, a tall man approached them with a hunting breath.

“Where is Kai?” ask the guy. Judging from the appearance, the guy was not far from Kai. Probably about a year or two above Kai.

Abi turned towards the small glass attached to the door of the nursery. Gesticulating for the guy to see for himself from the crack.

“Why can he be so?” ask the guy.

“Gue made him like that. I hit him.” Samuel replied, without looking at the man. Abi and Satya could only look at each other. Their faces were wary, if suddenly the guy would go berserk.

Justright. Unexpectedly, the man landed a punch in Samuel's stomach. And Samuel fell and coughed.

“Bigger! My sister got wrong what to lo?” snatch that guy.

Abi held back the movement of the man who was about to get back to Samuel. “This is a misunderstanding," Abi said.

“Mistake?” the guy laughed snortingly. “He tried to kill Kai. And, you said this was just a misunderstanding?”

“Gu—gue thinks, Kai killed Nagra.” Samuel said in a nervous tone. In his pair of eyes, shadowing a streak of fear mixed with regret.

“Nagra?” said the guy, then fell silent. A few seconds later, the guy laughed out loud, but was bland. Abi, Samuel, and Satya looked at each other.

Who exactly is that guy? Why did he laugh when he heard the name Nagra?